A vehicle hitching assistance system includes a controller executing an initial alignment process including searching for a trailer within a specified area of image data that is less than a total field of the image data in directions corresponding with both a longitudinal distance between the vehicle and the trailer and a lateral direction perpendicular to the longitudinal distance, presenting an indication to a driver of the vehicle to reposition the vehicle when the trailer is not identified within the specified area, and removing the indication when the trailer is identified within the specified area. The controller further executes an automated backing process upon identifying the trailer within the specified area, including identifying a coupler of the trailer and outputting a steering signal to the vehicle to cause the vehicle to steer to align a hitch ball of the vehicle with the coupler of the trailer during reversing.
Legal claims defining the scope of protection, as filed with the USPTO.
2. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller acquires the image data from an imaging system included with the vehicle, the imaging system having at least one camera, the total field of the image data corresponding with a total field of view of the at least one camera.
4. The system of claim 1, wherein the preselected area of the image data is a circular target area disposed at a preselected location in a central portion of the image data.
5. The system of claim 1, wherein the preselected area within the image data is defined by a designated boundary comprising respective portions based on the maximum detection distance, the minimum detection distance, and the known steering limit of the vehicle.
6. The system of claim 5, wherein the respective portions of the designated boundary are based on a correlation of the total field of the image data with an area of an assumed ground plane on which the vehicle is positioned visible within the total field.
9. The system of claim 8, wherein the controller begins executing the initial alignment process, including outputting the graphic overlay and message in the video image, upon activation of the system.
13. The vehicle of claim 12, wherein after identifying the trailer within a predetermined area of the image data, the controller identifies the coupler of the trailer during execution of the automated backing process.
14. The vehicle of claim 12, wherein the predetermined area of the image data is within a designated boundary comprising respective portions based on a resolution of the image data, a proportion of the trailer relative to the total field, and a known steering limit of the vehicle.
15. The vehicle of claim 14, wherein the respective portions of the designated boundary are based on a correlation of the total field of the image data with an area of an assumed ground plane on which the vehicle is positioned visible within the total field.
16. The vehicle of claim 12, wherein the controller further indicates to a driver of the vehicle to reposition the vehicle until the trailer is identified within the predetermined area.
18. The method of claim 17, wherein the preselected area of the image data is within a designated boundary comprising respective portions based on a resolution of the image data, a proportion of the trailer relative to the total field, and a known steering limit of the vehicle.
19. The method of claim 18, wherein the respective portions of the designated boundary are based on a correlation of the total field of the image data with an area of an assumed ground plane on which the vehicle is positioned visible within the total field.
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September 22, 2022
April 23, 2024
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